For purposes of this application, the term xe2x80x9cprinterxe2x80x9d refers to any device capable of placing a mark onto a page. In addition, the phrase xe2x80x9cprinting systemxe2x80x9d refers herein to any computer system that enables a user to generate printed output. The phrase xe2x80x9cprint output timexe2x80x9d refers to the amount of time required for a printer to convert a print job into a printed form. This time period is measured from when the print job is received by the printer until when the printed form is available to the user. It can be seen that print output time can be an important measure of printer performance as it can affect user productivity.
Printers often can operate in an xe2x80x9cidle modexe2x80x9d and in a xe2x80x9cprint modexe2x80x9d. For purposes of this application, a printer is referred to as being in a print mode if it is presently ready to place marks on a page. In addition, a printer is referred to as being in an idle mode if a warm-up operation is presently required for the printer to move into a print mode.
One reason that printers are designed to operate in an idle mode is to reduce the printer""s power consumption during periods when the printer is inactive (i.e., when the printer is not used for printing). Consider, for example, a typical laser printer that employs a standard electrophotography drum (drum), a laser mirror, a laser mirror drive unit (drive unit) and a heating element for transferring heat to toner. While in a print mode, power is applied to the drive unit so as to cause the laser mirror to rotate at a pre-determined velocity. During a printing operation, a laser beam is reflected by the rotating mirror so as to scan an image onto the drum. In addition, power is applied to the heating elements so as to generate a heating source for liquefying toner. Typically, in order to reduce power consumption, laser printers are designed to move into an idle mode (also commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cpower savexe2x80x9d state) when inactive over a certain period of time. While the laser printer is operating in the idle mode, power is reduced or removed from the drive unit and the heating elements. Therefore, the laser mirror will typically cease to rotate and the heating element temperature moves below that required for liquefying toner. After entering the idle mode, in order for the laser printer to move back into a print mode, a warm-up operation is typically required. The warm-up operation in this case is associated with re-application of power to the drive unit and heating elements. In addition, the warm-up operation is associated with allowing the laser mirror to reach the required rotational velocity and for the heating elements to reach the required temperature.
Prior art printers when operating in an idle mode typically initiate a warm-up operation only after receiving a print job and after some fixed amount of data from the print job has been processed. The print output time for a printer operating in an idle mode, therefore, is approximately the time required to perform the warm-up operation (warm-up time) plus the time required to perform the printing operation after the warm-up operation is complete.
A printer is provided that is capable of operating in either a print mode or in an idle mode. The printer includes a print engine, a communication interface and a control unit. The communication interface is adapted to receive a PRE-START signal indicating at least one PRE-PRINT act has been performed. The control unit is adapted to control the operational mode in which the printer operates and is responsive to the communication interface receiving the PRE-START signal when the printer is operating in an idle mode, by moving the printer from the idle mode to the print mode. The printer could be, for example, a laser printer. In addition, the printer can also include a scanner device that is connected to the communication interface and adapted to detect the performance of one or more PRE-PRINT acts. The scanner device can include, for example, an in-feed tray and one of the PRE-PRINT acts can include the loading of a page into the in-feed tray.
A printing system is provided that includes a printer that has an idle mode and a print mode of operation. The printing system further includes a device that can be used to generate and to submit a print job to the printer. The device is adapted to detect the performance of a PRE-PRINT act and is responsive thereto by transmitting a PRE-START signal to the printer. The printer, if operating in an idle mode upon receiving the PRE-START signal, responds to receiving the PRE-START signal by moving into the print mode. The printer could be, for example, a laser printer. The device could be, for example, a personal computer or a scanner.
A method is provided for controlling whether the printer operates in a print mode or in an idle mode. The method includes the following steps: receiving a PRE-START signal; and, if the printer is operating in the idle mode when the receiving step is performed, then moving the printer into the print mode. In addition, if the printer is operating in the print mode and inactive when the receiving step is performed, then a time is extended that the printer remains in the print mode while inactive before moving into the idle mode.